Written by Bill Cronshaw
‘Have a dream, always have a dream’.
Irene dreams of her lottery win. Sherry Marie Louise, her daughter, dreams of the day when her version of ‘Any Dream Will Do’ lands her an appearance on Reality TV. It seems too good to be true when fate, in the shape of Lavinia from ‘Elleffeff Productions’, makers of the renowned programme ‘Wannabe’, steps in promising to transform their lives.
Dreamshed Theatre’s new adult comedy is a cautionary tale of the dangers of naked ambition, fragile relationships, hand-held cameras and feel-good shows such as ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’.
The play contains scenes of an adult nature.
See the premiere of 'Dream On' at the 2009 Edinburgh Festival Fringe
24 - 28 August 16.00 £7
The Spaces @ Royal College of Surgeons, Theatre 3
Fringe Box Office: 0131 226 0000
Venue Box Office: 0845 508 8515
click here to visit the fringe website for details
Review of 'Dream On'
The Everyman Studio, Cheltenham
9th September 2009
Given its schedule of productions, I did wonder whether, for this week at least, the Everyman Theatre, might consider rebranding itself The Field of Dreams, for there is currently no shortage of them right now at this treasured establishment. Coincidentally, while Joseph’s Dreamcoat plays in the main auditorium, a few yards away in the intimate Studio Theatre, local hero Bill Cronshaw (of Dreamshed Theatre Co.) treats the discerning audience to an absorbing performance of his newest creation, the one-act Dream On, a welcome, if savage, sideswipe at the lamentable institution that is the television talent show.
We all have our dreams and long for them to happen. Sadly, that unforgiving and abstruse thing called real life often gets in the way, usually in the form of a merciless Simon Cowell-type who regards the latest hopefuls as mere cannon fodder with about as much talent as a swarm of plankton.
Inside the Studio, the concept of dreams was all-embracing. Even before the lights went down, we were serenaded by appropriate music from Abba and The Everly Brothers (I’ll leave you to work out which songs). To cap it all, there was even a snippet of Any Dream Will Do, as wide-eyed, no-mark pole dancer Sherry tried vainly to impress agent Lavinia, the cool, smooth-talking assassin who is less interested in encouraging anyone with genuine abilities than destroying the ambitions of deluded wannabes seeking a fairy godmother who can grant them their brief moment of fame.
The script is earthy, uncompromising, yet witty and honest, and no-one should have even the slightest illusion about the hidden agenda of the unscrupulous small screen mogul. The three-strong, all-female cast capably and entertainingly expresses the limited mentalities of those misguided half-wits who believe they are the next generation of superstars. In Lavinia’s words, real talent will find its own way, and will never need a trashy TV programme to provide any impetus. Reality itself can be very harsh bedfellow at times. Yes, you’ve got to have a dream, but few of them ever come true. Thanks for the warning, Bill. Would that more people took notice. Good night and sweet dreams.
Simon Lewis
